


Boy You Got My Heartbeat Running Away

by pasdexcuses



Category: Social Network (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-30 14:20:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pasdexcuses/pseuds/pasdexcuses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Why Eduardo talks to Mark is a bit of a mystery. He’s always pleasant when he doesn’t have to be. Eduardo laughs at Mark’s dry humor where someone else would’ve glared or hit him (Erica Albright slapped him once for that comment on farm animals but he’d been drunk so Mark’s not sure it counts).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boy You Got My Heartbeat Running Away

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo, HS AU. that's right. I actually suck at HS AUs because there's a lot to establish so this doesn't make much sense, in all honesty. It's just something I've been wanting to write for a while. This little scene here is based on a storyline in the Polsih film  _Suicide Room_ , which I haven't seen. I've just skipped through it, to be honest. I kinda wanna write a sequel, again, based on the film's relationship. But we'll see. This is all I've got for now!
> 
> Title is from Nicki Minaj's Super Bass
> 
> Also, no beta. All mistakes are mine and mine alone.  
> 

**Disclaimer:** This work is based on the characters as portrayed in the movie The Social Network, not real people. And, obviously, I’m not making any money from this. 

 

**_Boy You Got My Heartbeat Running Away_ **

 

Mark knows Eduardo from his judo class. Even though Eduardo is a senior and Mark’s a junior, they still talk, occasionally. And by occasionally what Mark means is he manages not to stutter his way through small talk every time Eduardo chats with him while they’re waiting to be paired up in class. Eduardo, Mark guesses, is fairly popular. He’s class president, award-winning member of the debate team, a more than decent judoka and to top it all he has this exotic kind of look because he’s brazilian, which apparently makes you hot in high school. 

 

Why Eduardo talks to Mark is a bit of a mystery. He’s always pleasant when he doesn’t have to be. Eduardo laughs at Mark’s dry humor where someone else would’ve glared or hit him — Erica Albright slapped him once for that comment on farm animals but he’d been drunk so Mark’s not sure it counts. 

 

The point is, Eduardo talks to Mark. On occasion. Sometimes, he even bothers with the small talk when they run into each other in the cafeteria or the library. Mark finds it harder and harder to deny that he likes it, in a strange sort of way. In a masochistic sort of way because Eduardo will never get past the polite “how was your weekend?” and Mark is sort of maybe wanting to go beyond that. 

 

He pretends to be coding when Erica makes a comment on it.

 

“Mark, I know you’re listening to me.”

 

Mark may not be very good at pretending not to be listening when the conversation is about Eduardo but he still thinks he should make an effort.

 

“Fine,” Erica says, frustrated. “I just think you should talk more. He’s interested. And nice.” At Mark’s lack of response, Erica sighs. “Ready for the formal?”

 

“Who said I was going?”

 

“I did. Plus, your mom already called me about my dress. I think she’s buying corsages.”

 

“Isn’t that supposed to be Mark’s job?” Dustin asks, sitting down at the table with them.

 

“That’s really none of your business, now, is it?” Mark snaps.

 

“You wound me, Mark!”

 

“If only that were true, Dustin. If only.”

 

“Whatever. And, back on topic, _I’m_ buying my date corsages,” Dustin says and eats two fries at a time.

 

“I can’t believe Chris finally stooped this low,” Erica quips, making a face, and Mark remembers why they’re friends.

 

“What?” Dustin asks around a mouthful, which even Mark knows is disgusting. Dustin swallows before continuing, “No, Chris is going with whatshisface. No, no, _I_ am taking Ashleigh.”

 

“Ashleigh? Advanced Calculus Ashleigh?” Mark asks, quite puzzled.

 

“Yeah. She’s hot, man.”

 

“Which is why Mark and I are having trouble understanding how you landed her.”

 

“Oh, shut up Albright.”

 

And Mark can predict where this argument is going. He tunes them out, perfectly content to get lost in his coding.

 

*

 

In the end, it turns out Mark is forced, _forced,_ this bears repeating, to go with Dustin to buy corsage. His mom says something about being a gentleman and how sweet Erica is and then threatens to physically remove Mark’s computer if he doesn’t go.

 

Erica shows him her dress over lunch, so he can buy something that matches. She all but shoves her laptop at Mark, and Mark knows there’s no point in arguing so he looks it over without any real interest. And this wouldn’t be a thing except right then and there Eduardo walks behind him.

 

“Nice dress, Mark,” he teases but he’s all smiles and dimples.

 

“You’re a bully.”

 

“Aw, don’t say, that,” Eduardo says, placing a hand on Mark’s shoulder. He puts on a dramatic air before adding, “I’m a prince scouting for a princess. A role which I am sure you’d be able to perform more than adequately in that simply exquisite dress.”

 

Dustin snorts into his juice while Chris gawks at them.

 

Erica, a little bit more subtle, smirks mischievously at Mark.

 

“He’s already taken, Saverin,” she says, snatching the laptop from Mark.

 

“Well, isn’t that a pity?” Eduardo asks, still smiling like a cartoon deer. “See you around, Mark.”

 

Mark watches Eduardo walk away. Watches him talk to people. Mark watches Eduardo being nice and social and keeps staring in bewilderment.

 

“I don’t know what you’re waiting for,” Erica quips, eyes on the screen. She turns to Chris. “Do you think I should wear my hair up or down?”

 

“Down, definitely down,” Chris answers after taking a quick glance at the screen. He then turns to Mark. “So you and Eduardo Saverin, huh?”

 

“There’s no me and Eduardo.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Mark’s just too much of a chicken to admit it.”

 

“Shut up, Dustin.”

 

“I think it’s cute,” Erica says, brushing her hair back.

 

*

 

The whole conversation, of course, ends up blowing in Mark’s face the night of the formal.

 

Everything goes fine, really. Until the teachers decide it’s time to close shop and the Winklevii announce there’ll be booze and drugs at their place — not exactly in those words, but it’s implied. Mark wouldn’t normally go but Eduardo spots him in the middle of the crowd.

 

“You’re coming, right? To the Winklevosses’, I mean.” 

 

“I… yeah, I guess.”

 

And with that, Mark gets dragged to the twins’ _mansion_ along with Erica, Dustin and Chris.

 

Mark realizes, a bit too late, this might not have been the smartest of ideas. Specially not when he starts seeing people passing bongs and sharing cigarettes. The empty bottles and cups of beer aren’t particularly reassuring either. And just as Mark is thinking about calling it a night because he’s pretty sure someone puked not even a foot away from him, Eduardo finds him. Again. 

 

“I’ve been looking for you!” he shouts over the music, smelling like alcohol and weed. “Come with me.”

 

Pulling Mark by the wrist, Eduardo manages to get Mark in a circle of people sitting on couches, already drunk.

 

“Of course I’ve kissed a girl!” Christy, Eduardo’s date, announces just as Mark and Erica sit down in front of her.

 

Eduardo, taking the space next to Erica, rolls his eyes.

 

“You don’t believe!” She’s clearly very, very drunk. “Oh, that’s fine, that’s fine. I’ll kiss one right now, how about that?” The rest of the guys cheer at her while the girls giggle, Erica included. “But, but,” she starts, holding up her hand. “If _I_ kiss a girl, then two of you guys,” she says gesturing at her audience. “Have to kiss.” Christy, looking at the guys, tilts her head. She’s looking at some guy to Mark’s left when her eyes narrow in Mark’s general direction. There’s something akin to panic bubbling in Mark’s chest as Christy smiles and speaks again. “So, because Eduardo is my date, I think it’s only fair for him to participate. Aaaaand, Eduardo, dear, how do you feel about young Mark, here?” She points at Mark and never, never in his life has Mark wanted the earth to open up a hole and swallow him as he does now.

 

“I’m game if Mark’s game,” Eduardo answers with a shrug, surprising all of them by not protesting.

 

Well, shit.

 

“Okay, okay. Then, I’ll kiss Erica. You know, to be fair and shit,” Christy says.

 

Mark can feel Erica tense next to him but she still lets Christy take her hand and drag her to the center of the circle. 

 

Everyone around Mark cheers for them. They count down from ten and everyone is just so fucking drunk. Not Mark, though. 

 

“Come, on, Albright.” And with that Christy smashes her lips against Erica’s. 

 

The kiss is open mouthed and at some point Mark thinks he’s seeing Christy’s tongue slipping inside Erica’s mouth but the light’s too dim and Mark’s worrying over what _he_ is about to do next to pay their kiss much attention.

 

Eduardo, who has crossed the room without Mark noticing, hands him a beer. 

 

“Drink up,” he says, bumping Mark’s shoulder. “Relax, it’s just a stupid game.”

 

Taking a swig of his own beer, Eduardo cheers on with the crowd and laughs with them when Christy finally releases Erica from her grasp.

 

Mark gulps down the beer fast. He nearly chokes on it but saves face while everyone’s still has their attention on Christy and Erica.

 

“Now, boys. Come on. Deal’s a deal!” Christy says, starting the count down.

 

 _Ten, nine, eight_.

 

“Relax, Mark, I won’t bite.” _Seven, six, five_. “Not much, anyway.”

 

 _Four, three_.

 

“You ready?”

 

 _Two, one_.

 

Mark feels himself nod before Eduardo puts both hands on his cheeks and kisses him. It’s just lips and awkwardness at first but then Eduardo moves one of his hands to the back of Mark’s neck. Using the leverage, Eduardo deepens the kiss, he slips his tongue inside Mark’s mouth. And Mark… he feels dizzy, disoriented but Eduardo’s tongue feels so good. It feels amazing and it’s all he can do not to respond.

 

He kisses back, pushing a little against Eduardo but not hard enough to tip them over. Mark can feel Eduardo smiling into their kiss. He sucks down on Mark’s lips before he starts pulling away and Must be really losing it because he almost falls over trying to hold onto Eduardo’s lips.

 

Someone is shouting. Something about hot and gay.

 

Mark isn’t really listening, not when he can’t take his eyes off Eduardo’s red mouth. He's thinking about kissing Eduardo again. About _wanting_ to kiss him again. He's in the middle of debating what to do next when Eduardo winks at him before blowing him a kiss. If Mark is being honest, his brain sort of short-circuits after that. 


End file.
